Core-catching device



` 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 R. wlNTl-:RBURN CORE QATCHING DEVICE Filed June 5,1929 Sept, 1932.

Sept 6) 1932- R.' wlNTERBURN CORE CTCHING DEVICE Filed June 5. 1929 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 6, 1932 'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE lREADWINTERBURN, or Los .4L'1\'H`}'I.'1i:s,:GAL'Finitura, As'sIGNoR 'roSHELL o IL `COM- PANY, or SAN FRANCISCO, CALI'O'RN'IA, A CORPORATION or'cALIFORNIA y contrincante envien nppncaum mea :uns 5, 1929. serialv110.1368595.,

formed outward by the passage 'therethrough'y y of the core.

It is an object of this invention-toprovide a core-catching. devicewhich'is positweLin its gripping action.

Another object of this invention lies in the provision of ga novelcore-catching device Voperable at a remote point to exert aj positivegripping action on the core when the core barrel is first raised."

Still another object ofk theinvention; is to provide a corebarrel'having two elements, movable relative to each other over alimited*` Y Still other objects of the invention lie in the novelconstruction of the parts wherein the weight of one of the elements ofthe.

core barrel is effective in4 exerting' a gripping force on the core. jFurther objects and*V advantages of the invention will be evident tothosey skilled inY the art from the following description'.

form of the invention', but it should be understood that I am notlimited tov this fornito the exclusion of other similar forms capableyof performing the desirable results made posf sible by my invention. i

Fig. 1 is. a utility view illustrating ythe way in which my core catcheris used. Fig. 2 is a verticalesectional fviewv through the core catcher.j V f Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectionaly view taken on the line'3-3offFig. kv2. v y

Fig. 4 is an enlarged'sectional view of theY core-(catching device. l l

Figs. 5- and 6 are cross-sectional views' taken as'shown by theirrespective lines of j Fig. 7 is a perspective view oflon'e vof the jawsof my invention. l l j l e y Referring particularly to F ig. (l, I-haveillustrated a string of drillV pipe 10 extending downwardV in "a l.well11 and being rotated by a., -rotary'machine 125 the lower end of thisdrillV pipe being secured to a core barrel l5 incorporating the featuresof my invention;

The/details of the core barrel 15 'of my 5invention are'best shown invFigs. 2 and 6. Referring particularly to Figc-2, a' tool joint 2O issecured to the lower end of the string of drill pipe 10 and provides athreaded cavity 2l which receives the upper end of af support ing member22. This member is vformed ofY tubular material and provides ahead 23 atthe lower end thereof, a hole '24 being formed therethrough whichcommunicates with the interior of the supporting member 22.A i

vFormed on the exterior of thehead-l23 is apair of vpockets .25 whichare sectorfshaped' in'h'orizontal cross-section, as bestshown in Fig. 3.Adaptedto verticallyslide inY each pocket isa guide block 27 formedintegrally with, or suitably attached to,/an outer tubu'j lar member 30Ywhich surrounds the head 23, these guide blocks being verticallyslidable a distance determined bythe difference in length-of theguideblocks 2'( and pockets 25.' This movement is usually in-thefneighborhoodof two inches. I

head `23 and the lower end thereof is "exter nallythreaded to receive acore-catching body 32 providing a'bore 33 therethrough. The. outertubular member 30and the body 32 c0- operate in forming an outer barrel35 of-my ried bythe lower end ofthe adjusting mem- Th-e outer ktubularmember 30 'extends i fd d"v 'd bl'd'tn=f "th: In the drawings, I haveillustrated 'one OWHWM a Consl am e 1S' a ce rom e in the threadedcavity 21 between ber 38 is a cage 4() of a check valve 41 of anydesired construction which will prevent the passage. of any fluidtherethrough and into an inner tubular member 43 suspended therefromthrough a cap 44, this check valve readily permitting an upwardl fiow offiuid from the inner tubular member 43.

This tubular member is formed to loosely slid vin the hole 24 of thehead 23 and extends downward therethrough to a point inside the body 32.Here a sleeve 45 is threaded thereto, this sleeve having an externaldiameter only slightly smaller than the diameter of the bore 33 so as tobe slidable thereinwhen a relative movement between the outer member 30and an inner barrel 46 takes place, this inner barrel being formed ofthe inner tubular member 43 and the sleeve 45. The sleeve 45 provides anopening which is of substantially the same diameter as the internaldiameter of the inner tubular member 43 and which cooperates therewithto provide a core chamber 48, the lower end'of which communicates with abore 49 of a cutter 50 which n may be threaded to the lower end of thebody 32 and which is adapted to loosen the material which is to rise inthe core chamber. This cutter may be of any suitable design and issupplied with mud through passages 51 formed through the body 32 andcommunicating with the annular space between the inner and outer tubularmembers. The mud is supplied to t-he interior of the drill pipe 10through the customary swivel 52 and hose 53, this mud passing downwardthrough the .spider 36 and through holes 54 formed through the head 23.

It should thus be apparent that the inner barrel 46 is adj ustablysupported by the drill pipe 10, and that during the lowering of the corebarrel 15 in to the well, the weightof the outer barrel 35 is supportedon the guide blocks 27 which at this time rest in the lower ends oftheir respective pockets 25. As soon as the cutter 50 hits a supportingsurface, such as the bottom of the well, its downward motion isarrested, but the inner barrel 46 moves downward a slight distancerelative thereto until the blocks 27 move into the upper portions oftheir respective pockets.

Any rotation of the drill pipe 10 is, of course', transmitted to theouter barrel through the guide blocks 27, and after the core chamber hasbeen partially or, wholly filled with a core sample, the drilly pipe 10is raised. The first upward movement thereof tends to move the innerbarrel 46 upward relative to the outer barrel 35, this relative movementbeing arrested when the guide blocks 27 lie in the lower portion oftheir respective pockets 25 after which both `the inner and outerbarrels are moved upward in the well as a unit.

This relative movement between the inner and outer barrels T utilizein'moving one or temere more jaws into the core chamber 48 in clampingrelationship with the lower portion of the core sample therein. Variouslinkages may be utilized for connecting the jaws to the inner and outerbarrels, and the jaws may be mounted onv either the inner or outerbarrels without departing from the broadest concept of this invention.However, T prefer to pivotally mount the jaws 60 in openings 63 formedthrough the sleeve 45, these openings being of a shape corresponding tothe contour of the jaws 60, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 6.

Any number of these jaw members may be utilized, but I prefer to usefour of these elements equally spaced around the sleeve 45.

The shape of these elements is best shown in Fig. 7, each jaw beingprovided with a body 65 having a neck 67 extending upward therefrom.

Formed on this neck are sideward extending pivot pins l68 which arecircular in crosssection and which are journalled in semi-circularchannels formed in the sleeve 45. These pins are held inv thesesemi-circular channels by means of a plate 69, legs of which havesemi-circular channels therein which cooperate with the semi-circularchannels of the sleeve 45 in journalling the jaws 60`on the pivot pins68, the legs 70` extending downward on each side of the neck 67, as bestshown in Fig. 4. The inner faces of the plate 69 are curved tocorrespond in contour to the curvature of the core chamber 48 and areheld in pockets formed in the sleeve 45 by screws 71.

4J aw faces 73 of the jaws 60 may be similar-- by an upward divergingsurface 81 and an upf5 wardly converging surface 82, the former beingshaped to conform to the rear surface 83 of the jaws 60. The surface 82provides a shoulder 84 which contacts an angled surface 85 of each ofthe jaws 60 when the inner barrel 46 is moved upward relative to theouter barrel 35.

Due to thisengagement the jaws 60 are forced into the core chamber 48against the action of their respective springs and into positions shownby dotted lines 88 of Fig. 4. Such a relative upward movement of theinner barrel takes place when the drill pipe 10 is first moved upward,and the inward movement of the jaws 60 firmly clamps the core retainedin the core chamber at this time.

It should be understood that the inward force on the aws 60 is exertedby the weight of the outer barrel 35, the turning-moment on each jaw'dueto this force being greater than the turning-moment due to the springs77. However, should the core occupying the core chamber 48 be extremelyhard, the jaws 60 may not move into their extreme'inward positionindicated by the dotted linesy 88 .of

Fig. 4, but may be held in an intermediate position. No harm willresult, for the pivot structure holding the jaws to the sleeve 4 5 issufficiently strong to resist the forces thus set up, it being clearthat if the jaws do not' move into ytheir dotted line position shown inFig 4, the guide block 27 will not be effective in supporting the weightof the outer barrel 35.

1While I have shown and described the jaws 60 as being pivoted to thesleeve 45, it should be understood that my invention is not limited tothis feature. These jaws may be slidably mounted in the sleeve, ror maybe formed of resilient material secured to the sleeve at their upperends and tending to normally assume a Vretracted position in the annularcavity 80. Furthermore, it is not necessary to make the-sleeve separatefrom the inner tubular member 43, this construction being utilized onlyfor the sake of simplicity.

rI`he relative position of the inner and outer barrels may be adjustedby turning` the nut 39, thus raising or lowering the inner barrelrelative to the outer barrel and thus changing the position of the jaws6() relative to the core chamber 48. It is not necessary that theangular relationship between the inner and outer barrels be accuratelyfixed for the provision of the annular cavity 80 permits the jaws 60 tobe positioned therein in any desired angular relationship.

Due to the fact that the jaws 60 are entirely withdrawn from the corechamberk 48 when in retracted position, no projections are presenthindering the upward passage of' the core in the chamber.

The Yquick and positive gripping action exerted by the jaws 60 due to arelative movement of the inner and outer barrels is a very importantpart of this invention and is not necessarily predicated upon the use ofthe particular embodiment shown in the drawings, inasmuch as variousmeans for accomplishing this end will be apparent to those skilledin theart.

I claim as my invention:

l. In combination in a core barrel for taking a core froma bore hole:walls forming a core chamber; hinged vertically hanging y jaws mountedadjacent said core chamber in a manner to be movable thereinto and meansfor withdrawing said jaws from said chamber when said core barrel islowered into contact with the bottom of said bore hole and for movingsaid Vhinged vertically hanging jaws into/said chamber when said corebarrel is raised-from said bottom of said bore hole.

2. In combination in a core barrel: an inner barrel providing a rcorechamber open at its lower end;v jaws carried by the lower portionof'sa-id inner barrel and movable into and from said core chamber;`means for supporting said inner barrel; an outer barrel longitudinallyslidable relative to said inner barrel between fixed limits, said outerbarrel extending below the lower surface of said innerbarrel and beingin a lower position when said means isfsupporting said core .barrel butbei-ng movable into an upper position when` ber; means for supportingsaid inner barrel; l

an, outer barrel longitudinally slidable relative to said inner barrelbetween :fixed limits, said outer barrel extending below the lowersurface of said inner barrelvand being in a lower position whensaidmeans is supporting said core'barrel butfbeing movable into anYupper` position when said outer barrel engages a supporting surface; andmeans on Vsaid outer barrel engaging said jaws during the movementofsaid outer barrel from an upper position into a lower position formoving said jaws into said core chamber.

4. A combination as defined in claim 2 in which said jaws are pivotallymounted rela-v tive to said inner barrel, and including spring means forretaining saidjaws in a retracted position substantially removed fromsaid chamber. Y

5. A combination as defined in claim 2 including a cutter mounted onsaid outer barrel.

6. In combination in a core taking device,

inner and outer barrels, said inner barrel prof viding a core chamberopen at its lower end,

jaws hanging from hinges attached to the inner barrel and movable intosaid core chamber bypmeans of the weight of the outer bar-v rel. i

7. In combination in a core taking device,

inner and outer barrels, said inner barrel providing a core chamber openat its lower end, jaws hanging from hinges attached to the lower portionof said inner barrel and movable into said core chamber.

9. In combination in a core taking device, inner and outer barrels, saidinner barrel providing a core chamber open at its lower end, jawshanging from hinges attached to the lower portion of said inner barreland movable into said core chamber and adjustable means whereby therelative position oi the barrels one to the other is controlled.

10. ln combination in a core taking device, nner and outer barrels, saidinner barrel providing a core chamber open at its lower end, jawshanging` from hinges attached to the lower portion of said inner barrel,adinstable means whereby the extent of movement of said jaws iscontrolled.

ll. ln combination in. a core taking device, inner and outer barrelsconcentrically mounted, jaws hanging vertically from hinges attached tosaid inner barrel and means whereby said jaws may be turned toward thelongitudinal airis of the barrels.

l2. ln combination in a core taking device inner and outer barrelsconcentrically mounted jaws hanging` vertically from hinges attached tosaid inner barrel, springs to normally retain said jaws in position andmeans whereby the jaws may be turned toward the longitudinal axis ofsaid barrels.

13. A core taking device comprising inner and outer barrels, slidablymounted one within the other7 adjustable means whereby the relativeposition of the barrels may be controlled, vertically hanging jawsattached to the lower portion of said inner barrel, a cutter attached tothe lower portion of said outer barrel and means whereby the weight ofthe outer tube actnates said jaws to move inwardly toward thelongitudinal axis of said barrels.

ln testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles,California, this 31st day of May, 1929.

READ VVINTERBURN.

